Osteoarthritis in knee

dreamdaisy

Diamond, it takes time to adjust, it takes time to get used to the idea that life has altered and yes, the dramatic 'I'll never be able to do that again!' (swoons with hand to forehead in the classic fainting Victorian lady way) is all part and parcel of that. So too is learning the necessary re-thinking of what one does and how one does it. And who says it will necessarily get worse? Everyone's arthritis is different.

Right, tough words coming up but they are kindly meant: one sentence leapt out at me, the bit about immobility: you are not by any means immobile, you may feel as though you are but please bear the following in mind: your other knee is OK, your toes, ankles and hips are fine. You are using one stick which whill help ease the strain on the better joints and the poorly one too. Gentle exercise will help to keep the muscles that support your joints strong, and that is a good thing. Walking is not totally out of the question and why not try cycling? I think knees tend to go up and down rather than round and round and it will do wonders for your thigh muscles! Swimming is lovely as your whole weight is supported in the water and that gives you a good all-over work out.

Now, for Greece remember this mantra for doing steps - 'Good leg to Heaven, bad leg to Hell.' so lead with the better leg and follow with the poorer one going up and vice versa going down. OK, you end up doing stairs like a three-year-old but that doesn't matter as you are still doing stairs. That beach will still be there, ready and waiting, whether it takes you one minute or twenty. It will be there. And so will you.

Right, I am on me hols and now off to the pub - getting there is a doddle but coming back? Slightly widdled with four limbs to control? Cue the music: 'Tonight's mission, should you choose to accept it DD, is to restrain yourself to just two pints.' :shock: Take care, chat soon. DD

yaris

Hi got waking stick I just went down the hospital went to phyosio dept
And asked them for one they were very helpfull even gave me some
Exercise todo

Diamond12

Hello again everyone.

Today I went to see my doctor again to talk about pain relief after all the advice on this forum. Up to now I have been taking paracetamol, or Solpadeine as it has codeine in it too, plus over the last week, Ibuleve gel on the leg. The last week has been slightly better using the gel but to be honest I havent been doing a lot!

Went for a short walk yesterday, 2miles, with a break in between sitting in the beautiful sunshine, and didnt do too badly using my stick. But 2 or 3 hours after getting home again, the whole leg stiffened up.

I asked the doctor for a stronger drug, and he has given me Naproxen but only for 2 weeks as he wants to re-assess how it affects me. He frightened me a little as I used to get stomach problems with Ibuprofen (anti-inflammatories), but I said I wanted to try something to rid me of the pain when walking. He also gave me Lazsoprazole which is supposed to counteract any tummy upsets.

At the moment, as I am feeling so much better today, I am thinking of putting off taking them until it again, worsens, as I am quite frightened about all the side affects, well .... possible side affects. The last thing I want is another problem on top of the osteoarthritis.

Can any of you give me your opinions on using Naproxen?

Thanks.

Christine

dreamdaisy

One of the biggest problems we all face is that we all react so differently to the same medication. Some swear by it, others find some benefit, and a few none at all. You won't know if it helps until you try and this not a med you can start and stop at will - at least that is what I have been told. The Lanzaprole is essential (I have Omeprazole, same dog different bit of string) and I take that first thing before anything else. After brekkie and a cuppa I then do my other meds so that the food might also help counter-act any gut trouble. So far, so good! DD

Diamond12

Thanks dreamdaisy.

Will let you know how I get on.

Christine

hileena111

Hi
Yes its true....we all re act differently to meds
I'm on Naproxen and you must have omneprozol or lansoprazole I have the latter....probably neither spelling is right
First thing in the morning before getting washed or dressed. I take my lansoprazole and 2 paracetamol.
My naproxen is 2 tablets {slow release} a day so i take it at 9am and 9pm or thereabouts
You should try them, you'll soon know if you react badly to them.
Keep on top of the pain {as much as we can} dont play catch up with pain
Love
Hileena

Diamond12

Hileena
May I ask you what, if any reactions, you have had to Naproxin. I know everyone reacts differently but it would be good to hear some views. Do you manage not to get stomach pains/upsets, by taking the other pill each morning?

Also how has Naproxin helped your pain? Does it work well - is it effective and able to make you walk more easily?

Thanks
Christine

matcamgem

Hi,

I was diagnosed with OA of the right knee 3 years ago, My was found after surgery, the cause was severe injury plus many minor knocks and twists, unfortunately caused through career choice, anyway the only thing i found was light excercise the physios gave me and swimming helps, although I do also use walking aids sometimes when the pain is to severe, and of course painklillers and anti inflamatries are a god send, crazy thing is people often say im to young toi have OA 34 is my age yet original injury took place 13 years ago, I have suffered daily for 10 years theres not much more can be done except try to look after the affected joint.

Kind regards

Matthew

skezier

Hi Christine,

I really hope the tablets will work for you and they can work really well as well.

I find the anti-inflammatories help to keep the oa swelling down and also obviously thy have a bit of built in pain killer as well. I have never been on the Naproxin but I agree the lanzop or omop would be a good idea to take with them.

Lets us know how it goes and got everything crossed it will hep. Cris xx

Hi Matthew a welcome to you and a hope you find the site helpful. x

hileena111

Hi Christine
In answer to your question about Naproxen.....I've had no stomah problems. I do put that down to the stomach protector....but who knows? If you do take anti inflamms regularly I think you should have one or the other...but hey! I'm no doctor
As for the relief it gives.......It takes the edge of the pain......I would certainly know if I didnt take. I would be much sorer if I didnt take it but am not pain free even with it......

I use walking aids sometimes as well

Love
Hileena

Diamond12

Thanks again for all the replies. Isnt it surprising just how many people are on this site and it makes me realise how many people suffer from OA, and many so young. Having never been a sporty active person all through my life, I am surprised that it seems most people who get OA played tennis, or went skiing regularly - played physically exerting games which puts a strain on the knee. I must be very unlucky as its not even hereditary.

Since going to the doctor, my knee for the past 3 days has been surprisingly better -less pain, more mobile. I dont get huge swelling anyway at the moment. The calf just gets rigid when I walk on it for too long and then I cant put weight on my foot.

I have decided to put the Naproxin on the side for a few days, and not begin the course, until the pain gets really bad again. The doctor did tell me some scarey stories about what Naproxin and other anti-inflammatory drugs can do to the stomach lining, kidney and liver and so I really only want to take it if I am desperate.

Found it hard to get my leg moving when I got out of bed this morning but now, once again, it has eased up considerably today with the use of Ibuprofen gel on the area and some paracetamol. Fingers crossed.

Thanks everyone.

Christine

hileena111

Hi Christine
That is one of the signs of OA.....stiffness when you waken up but usually when you move for a whie it eases off.
Its a matter of not sitting too long or not standing/walking too long either. Get a happy medium....easier said than done I know.

Love
Hileena

dreamdaisy

The number of arthritics on this site is the absolute tip of a very large iceberg. I think there are about ten million sufferers in the UK, and about eight million of those are OAers so you are not alone by any stretch of the imagination.

Right, I see you are already doing the ostrich thing (it's a very common approach on here to these matters! ) inasmuch as things are feeling better (probably because you have been a sensible girl and not over-done things in the past couple of days) so there's no need to take the nasty nasty med. This ain't how it works, hon. Your GP was quite correct to warn you about what COULD happen but that is by no means a guarantee that anything WILL happen. One of the roles of the Nap is not only to reduce the inflammation (and hopefully the pain too) but also to protect the joint against further damage. It will also help your joint to stay feeling better, enabling you to do a little more than you otherwise might. I reckon that's a win-win in anyone's book. I've never really understood why people go to the docs wanting help, the help is provided then they decide not to avail themselves of it, but then I have a life-history of going to the docs and swallowing, injecting and inserting all kindsa junk so it's an easy thing for me to say. (Remember my saying I need to be more aware of the shock of things? I'm not doing too well on that front, am I? )

Some of the stuff I take for the PsA has a side effect of an increased risk of cancer. I care not one jot as that can be cured and anyhoo it's not guaranteed to happen. Arthritis cannot be cured, only alleviated and the meds are one way to do that. Using aids, resting, not pushing oneself too far, taking care of your general health is another way to help matters. Go on, treat yourself: take the nap and I really hope it helps. DD

Diamond12

Hileena 111 (or anyone else who could answer). You say you take your Lansoprazole and a paracetamol first thing in the morning and then Naproxen twice a day at 9am and 9pm. I have also been prescribed twice a day.

I have been told I must take the Naproxen with meals, presumably so that its not on an empty stomach. Is this what you do, as 9pm seems late in the day if it is taken with a meal. I am also not very good with breakfast, rarely eat it - preferring to wait till lunch. So I am just wondering how to ensure I take the Naproxen as safely as possible on my stomach.

Thanks for any advice.
Christine

dreamdaisy

I take my omeprazol when I wake up, so anywhere between 6am and 8am. I force myself to eat some form of breakfast so I can take the rest of the meds, this is usually between 8.30 and 9.30am depending on how the day has started. Then I take any evening meds with my dinner which is anywhere between 7 and 8.30pm (depending on what my husband's movements are). In an ideal world the doses would be twelve hours apart but I don't live in that kinda world! DD

stickywicket

Like DD, I take my Omeprazole on waking. Naproxyn should be taken with food but I'm not sure it needs to be a meal. I take all my meds with food these days but, if I need something between meals, I just eat some fruit or have a biscuit first. I wouldn't take anti-inflammatories shortly before bedtime though.

hileena111

Hi Christine,
Yes my naproxen is taken after breakfast and the 9pm one ...well my meal at night is about 7ish so come 9pm I have a piece of fruit or drink and a biscuit and thats seems to be OK.....
lansoprozol is taken before anything,
paracetamol is taken 4 times a day, no real set times...after breakfast, after lunch about 6ish and before bed.
Epilepsy tablets in the morning and in the evening and one at lunchtime but that could be teatime {that works OK}
Its only recently I've started taking paracetamol so early......I'm waking up very sore so I'm taking it and hoping that it kicks in before the day really starts.
Hope that helps a bit.
Love
Hileena

Diamond12

Thanks again for the advice.

Stickywicket - why wouldnt you take anti-inflammatories just before bedtime?

Christine

stickywicket

I have a dodgy stomach due to years of taking anti-inflammatories before stomach protectors came out. I can't do anti-inflamms now even with the Omeprazole. When my stomach kicks in, taking anything at all two hours before bed would just make everything worse. (That's the GORD mainly. I also have a hiatus hernia, have had ulcers and, when the GORD kicks off, inflammation of the oesophagus.) If I was starting all over again, today, rather than 50 years ago, I'd still take the anti-inflams but with the stomach protectors and always with food and a great deal of respect .